An Early Valentine

We are celebrating Valentine's Day tonight.

The thing is, Alex leaves for a two week trip in the morning. So, it's now or never.

Roses? Check! Dinner reservations? Check! Gorgeous slinky new dress? Check!

I would rather have him home on Monday and order a pizza. I would rather have him home on Monday and cook lasagna. I would rather have him home on Monday and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

I think all the years of being a military wife have paid off. Deployments are required. At least I don't think he'll be shot at on this trip. At least I hope not.

I bought a valentine card for the mail man. On Monday I'm dressing up and putting on make up and perfume. I will watch out the window until I see him coming to deliver the mail. Then I am going out to give him his card and tell him "Happy Valentines Day"!

It's not perfect, but it's the best I can do.

Michael Ate My Birthday Cake

This is my birthday cake.

Alex bought a German chocolate cake for me. Of all the cakes in the world, why German chocolate?

Alex knows I don't eat coconut. I have nothing against coconuts but I don't eat it. There is something wrong about eating something that is covered with brown furry stuff on the outside of the shell.

This reminds me of the time that Alex bought me "Eternity" by Calvin Klein for Christmas. I do not wear Eternity. I always wear "Coco" by Chanel. Or the time he bought me a pair of Converse tennis shoes! Need I say more? Did he think for a moment he was married to Cardiogirl?

Okay, back to the birthday cake. I just happened to know that Michael at Too Many Mornings loves German chocolate cake. So I did what any reasonable woman would do.

I packaged it up and took it to the Post Office and sent it to Michael overnight. Alex did cut one big chunk out of it for himself before I sent it.

Alex gave me an iPad too. I am not technical, nor do I like gadgets.

I'm sure Michael didn't mind.

Heat Waves and Margaritas

We've been having a heat wave in Northern California.

Yesterday we reached 81 degrees. When it's gorgeous outside, there's just nothing like sipping a margarita and watching the fish in the pond.

Add to that a little Bob Marley music and you have the making for a really good day. So is that what I did yesterday?

Oh hell no. It was Superbowl Sunday! That means cooking from 8 AM on. And staying inside to watch football on the big screen television. (Actually, I have a 12 or 14 inch television in the kitchen and that's what I watched.)

First order of business, get the chili made. My chili is not for the faint of heart. I used sirloin tips for it and soaked the black beans overnight. The jalapeno and cheddar corn bread also had to be made and put in the oven. (When it's 80 degrees, using the oven is not the wisest thing you can do.) Then there's the potato salad, the green salad, the pork ribs, the Spanish port poached pears, the whipping cream, the bruschetta and let's not forget the effort that goes into to serving all this stuff.

By the time the game ended about 6:30 in the evening, it was too late to go outside and enjoy the sun. And, it was time to begin the clean up. Uh huh.

Today, I could have spent all day in the sun with margaritas, but alas, I did not. The heat wave has ended.